Mustafa Ali Says He Is No Longer Working With WWE

Despite being booked for a "WWE NXT" North American Championship match in the near future, Mustafa Ali announced today (via X) that he is no longer a member of the WWE roster. Ali was scheduled to challenge for the title at WWE NXT No Mercy on September 30, with Dominik Mysterio as his presumed opponent.

In recent weeks, Ali has become involved in a feud with Mysterio over the North American title, which has also included Dragon Lee. Earlier this week on "WWE Raw," it was announced that Mysterio will defend the "NXT" North American Championship against Lee on next week's "Raw," causing some frustration for Ali on "NXT" the following night. It now seems the storyline will continue without Ali.

After a standout performance in the WWE Cruiserweight Classic, Ali signed with the promotion in 2016. Initially, he was primarily featured on "205 Live" with some occasional spots on the main roster. In 2019, however, Ali started to gain some steam on "SmackDown," competing in both the Men's Royal Rumble and Men's Money in the Bank matches that year. Unfortunately, his creative direction would continue in stops and starts, including a highly criticized stint as the leader of the controversial Retribution faction.

Ali publicly asked for his WWE release in early 2022, but that request was denied. His apparent release now comes at a point when it seemed as though Ali was just gaining some creative momentum. In the 2023 WWE Draft, Ali became a free agent, able to move between brands. In the months since, he's had a number of memorable moments on "NXT" programming, leading up to his feud with Mysterio and Lee. 

In the wake of Ali's announcement, a number of additional WWE stars have revealed that they have been given their release from the company.